FYI- I'm not sure why a Forum Etiquette post from 7 years ago makes you hesitant to post. If you've actually read the First Timers Guide (not just the Survival Manual) and have looked over the forum & don't see your question, ask it.

We all know the search function on eplaya sucks, sometimes the answer will be a link to the right thread. Sometimes the "regulars" answer what we see as the most basic questions (see http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?p=689002#p689002) because they're asked honestly and they're not really addressed anywhere. Some virgins come in with huge amounts of knowledge & you would never know (even on here, especially on the playa) that they've never been.

Now if you ask the same question that is easily found on the first page on the topic, or you expect something to manifest without contributing, or you come in 7 weeks before people start heading to the playa and suddenly want to join a theme camp (where were you 4 months ago when they needed help with prep?), you're going to get snark.

Now, what's the question?

It's a camping trip in the desert, not the redemption of the fallen world - Cryptofishist

Questions asked because of laziness, obviously making no attempt to determine the answer yourself.

All other questions are more than likely perfectly valid.

Stupid questions on ePlaya (but not limited to):

Any question answered in the FAQ.

Any question answered by the Stickies.

Any question answered by a post on the first page.

Any question that would easily be found by typing in the descriptive noun of your question. e.g. "What costco tarp should I buy?" --> "costco tarp"

Smart and useful questions that may have even been answered in the past:

Questions that may be time or location limited. e.g. "Where is the best place to find shading tarps?", "What is the best road to take from X location this year?"

Questions with your "effort disclaimer": e.g. "I know that rebar is suggested for holding tents in place, but I still don't get how do you manage to drive the damn things in at an angle without bending them?"

Questions that reference older posts to the same topic, but wish to renew the topic again. e.g. "This stone-age post from 2002 listed methods to guy-line inside tents, but I'm wondering if there are better techniques?"

You've built something, and need help. e.g. "I bought an assload of LEDs, but what is the best way to rig these things up on my shirt?"

It's not hard people.

"The essence of tyranny is not iron law. It is capricious law." -- Christopher Hitchens

I'm one of those people who is very hesitant to ask questions now, and I imagine I'm not the only one. I'm just the only one who posted it.

Okay, here's another helpful answer:

Please introduce yourself before you make a remark.

It's not a fatal mistake, to fail to do that; I did it myself. But I soon learned better.

This board is different. It is like a huge 24/7 team meeting. Members who know each other will tease and bullshit, but a lot of useful work gets done here, and key contributors earn solid respect. New members are welcome to the extent that they make an effort to learn independently before asking for help; self-sufficiency is one of our shared and clearly stated values. it is also considered polite here to make a contribution before offering criticism, or at least (see above) to introduce yourself.

So imagine that you have walked into a team meeting somewhere as a complete stranger, handed around a page from the team manual, and announced that "Some of you should read this."

Oh and we are getting down to the drop-dead-line now on prep, so, if you have an actual question cough it up.

"Burning Man ruined my life as I knew it, and I have never been happier." -mgb327

I usually save this for when you post in the "Introduce Yourself" forum, but seeing that you have failed to do that (sarcasm intended just to test your metal), here goes:

Hey there, welcome to eplaya!

Have questions? Read this first: http://www.burningman.com/first_timers/Everybody on eplaya is always excited to help first timers; but in sympathy for some of us old timers, please get your required reading out of the way before posting. As hard as it is to rein in the the excitement and enthusiasm, and as unbelievable as it might seem, most of your questions have already been asked and answered, if you just take a moment to read.

Now, let the adventure begin!

FYI wrote:http://eplaya.burningman.org/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4505

I'm one of those people who is very hesitant to ask questions now, and I imagine I'm not the only one. I'm just the only one who posted it.

JKhttp://www.mudskippercafe.comWhen I was a kid I used to pray every night for a new bicycle.Then I realised that the Lord doesn't work that way so I stole one and asked Him to forgive me.

I'm one of those people who is very hesitant to ask questions now, and I imagine I'm not the only one. I'm just the only one who posted it.

Hi Mr. or Ms. FYI . . . we're strictly hobbyist Burners who happen to socialize here and talk shop to excess. We're not hired, paid, obligated, or official (beyond perhaps the moderators, whose status I do not know, but are at minimum official to US). When you think about this, it's apparent. No one here has to answer or help anyone. When you see good advice, it's been a gift. Not an obligation. Not a mandated 7 contacts per hour for good Q.A. scores.

I'm sorry you're nervous to ask questions. However, if you read a lot more than you ask, attempt research, ask politely, and avoid taking a society-matron-vs.-shopgirl tone of "snap to it, I need service"--which I sense you wouldn't, right?--you'll probably be fine here. We just bristle when we get people who treat us like--as Cryptofishist put it--"the help". Or who sound like nightmare neighbors for X number of reasons.

MyDearFriend wrote:Please introduce yourself before you make a remark.

It's not a fatal mistake, to fail to do that; I did it myself.

Agreed, it really isn't a fatal mistake. Hell, if you slip in unobtrusively enough, you can get away with never formally introducing yourself. I never did. I was slowly absorbed slowly into the ePlaya bloodstream . . . and now you're all screwed!

But Mr. or Mrs. FYI, you might feel better if you go delurk properly in Introduce Yourself--as that nickname, or a new one if you feel paranoid now. Tell people what state you're from, how long your decision has been in coming, or whatever you think is relevant. Give people a chance to like you and socialize before you start guilt-tripping anonymously.

Savannah wrote: Give people a chance to like you and socialize before you start guilt-tripping anonymously.

Ouch! and Snap! to you girl! That's pretty blunt for Savannah!

I honestly have a feeling that "FYI" is someone who asked a stupid question and had the snark cannon fired at them. The name "FYI" just implies someone with their arms crossed, foot tapping and a pissy pout on their face. Their post honestly makes no sense at all in reference to the thread they link to:

FYI wrote:I'm one of those people who is very hesitant to ask questions now, and I imagine I'm not the only one. I'm just the only one who posted it.

How does a thread on etiquette make you hesitant to post??? And what does "I'm just the only one who posted it" even mean?

It only makes sense if they didn't like the answers they were given to a question and are pointing out the "etiquette" post as a reprimand for our "horrible" behavior (which also explains the title of this thread). They also haven't responded to any of the very nice answers they received all day, but I bet they respond to this one to point out how "mean" we are...

It's a camping trip in the desert, not the redemption of the fallen world - Cryptofishist

All regular posters are exactly alike Figjam- didn't you know? That's why new posters always refer to us in the collective possessive "the regulars" as opposed to "some regulars" or "the poster who just pissed me off by firing their snark cannon at me"

Now I need a drink...

It's a camping trip in the desert, not the redemption of the fallen world - Cryptofishist

Afraid we're just going to have to scratch the Benefibre from my gift list, Figgy.

Given this new information.... With the amount of irregular peeps outweighing the regulars by such a hugeass margin, I'm kind of afraid that the result of that particular gift at that particular party might win me the prize of the biggest party pooper yet. (or at least the instigator of one)

I'll just have to think of something else I suppose....

Worry is a misuse of imagination“She hadblue skin, And so didhe. He kept it hid And so did she.They searched for blueTheir whole life through, Then passed right by- And never knew.” Shel Silverstein

I'm relatively new here, but posts like this send me right to the pissed off end of the spectrum.

Read a fairly small amount, get a vibe for this board's culture (for lack of a better term), and participate.

Don't come in here all feeling entitled, lazy, or overly sensitive and you will do just fine. Everyone tries to be helpful, but No One is under any obligation to give you a straight answer so piss us off and you get what is deserved.

Savannah: I don't know what it is, but no thread here escapes alive. You'll get 1 or 2 real answers at minimum, occasionally 10 or 12, and then we flog it until it's unrecognizable and you can't get your deposit back.

This thread made me think back to when I started posting and how scared of Isotopia I was. Ok, maybe scared is too strong of a word. I didn't want to post anything stupid and get skewered, but then NOT getting skewered made me think I missed a rite of passage. Now, I miss her(?) wit and wisdom. But, that nervousness got me searching the forum more, and the stuff you accidently stumble on finding other information is amazing. All the little bunny trails that CONSUME your evening and educate, enlighten and entertain.

Went back and looked at our intro thread and realized how very dear to me all the people who replied to me are. The only one I don't see around a lot is Lostinreno, and I want to get to know her too. Bought a North Pole shade because of that post and we need to compare notes after and/or during the burn.

Dear FYI, come on in, the water is fine and I could use another friend.

When the only tool you got is a hammer, every problem looks like a hippie.

Mmmmmm I love the smell of Burning Man - Token

Getting overly dramatic about the ticket sale process is so 2012. - Maladroit